The artists taking part in the residency program will be hosted in one of four different areas of the Spanish countryside, depending on their association with the proposed projects:

Avinyó, Barcelona

Avinyó is located in the valley of the Gavarresa, in the province of Barcelona. It highlights the abundance of oak and pine forests, the rainfed crops, mainly cereals and in husbandry pig. Also the importance of the vineyard, years ago even more widespread, but that has been profoundly transformed by the introduction of quality strains and advanced farming methods.

As for industry, protrudes meat and textiles.

Calera y Chozas

The township is located over four small hills on the plain between the river Tajo and the Extremadura highway. It belongs to region of La Campaa de Oropesa,Toledo. It is traversed by various creeks; Majadillas, Valverde Valdepedregoso, Fuente Polo, Fuente del Piojo, Cobisa and Tórtola, all of which flow in the Tajo. The climate is mild continental. It is a land of rye, oats, chickpeas, wine, oil, acorns, carobs, sheep and game.

The township is composed of two municipalities, Calera y Chozas, the main population and Alberche del Caudillo are 4km apart from each other. The term ¨Calera¨ refers to its limestone mines. The name ¨Calera y Chozas¨ was given when Calera was joined to the farm houses of Chozas, Covisa, Tórtolas, Arco and Pedrovengas. A significant event of its recent history was when the village was set on fire by the french in 1809, butchering those who couldn´t escape. The date is commemorated yearly.

Carrícola, Valencia

Carrícola is located in the eastern reaches of the Albadia valley, on the north side of the Benicadell mountains. The township is composed of two clearly differentiated sections, a northern section with a flat terrain and a southern side with a rough and hilly terrain.

The soil is of calcareous nature and the climate is moderate with some frosts in winter.

The population consists of 85 inhabitants.

The origins of Carrícola can be traced back to a X Century AD Islamic Farmhouse.

Nowdays Carrícola stands out for its innovative character due to its comprehensive program of organic agriculture,which amongst other developments includes a recycling plant for composting organic matter, an artificial wetland for the treatment of water and a plan for the preservation of agricultural land use which limits urban growth.

Also current is the Carrícola Biodiversity Art Project , a program that includes both exhibitions and restoration of cultural heritage.

Casares, Málaga

Situated on the crags of Sierra Bermeja, between Serranía de Ronda and the Mediterranean Sea, Casares is a municipality in Costa del Sol Occidental (Málaga), on the border with the province of Cádiz. It has a population of 2.628 inhabitants. Casares is the stereotype of the Andalusian village, with its narrow, steep streets, and its white houses. Partly due to its Mediterranean climate of mild winters and hot summers, for centuries, Casares has been the center of important rural settlements devoted to an agricultural and farming economy. Casares is also a land populated by pines, cork oaks, carobs, and holm oaks. The locality is famous for the thermal springs of Baños de la Hedionda.

Las Encartaciones, Vizcaya

Las Encartaciones is the most westerly region in Biscay, bordering Cantabria and Burgos. It is composed of the municipalities of Abanto-Zierbena, Alonsotegi, Artzentales, Balmaseda, Galdames, Gordexola, Güeñes, Karrantza Harana, Lanestosa, Muskiz, Ortuella, Sopuerta, Turtzioz, Zalla, and Zierbena. This region present some amazing landscapes, which, along with its rich cultural patrimony, takes us back in history. From the mountains that border Cantabria all the way down into the sea in Muskiz, this territory is covered with forests and valleys carved by rivers, making it a strategic spot rich in natural resources and raw materials.

Guzmán, Burgos

Guzmán is a town situated in the southwest of Burgos’ Ribera del Duero. It borders with the provinces of Valladolid and Palencia. Guzmán is 35 K.m away from Aranda del Duero and is part of the Roa region. The population´s main activity is agriculture. Guzmán´s privileged location between moorland and river bank enables the cultivation of rain-fed cereals, such as wheat, barley and oats, as well as vineyards and orchards. As for farming and grazing, Guzman has two small explotations, one dedicated to white pig and the other for grazing and breeding of "churra" sheep.

This area was one of the first to be converted to intensive and mechanized agriculture. A large part of the population was forced to migrate to other areas, mostly large cities, like Madrid, Bilbao and Burgos. So this town decreased from 697 in 1950 to 80 people today.

Guzman is the classic example of Castilian village, who refuse to become a set of second homes for holidays, and whose habitants are working to keep their activities and their lifestyle

Malpartida de Cáceres, Cáceres

Malpartida is located in an Extremaduran steppe-like plain, which has been transformed over centuries by mankind into a mediterranean evergreen forest. Malpartida´s granitic soils gives this flat landscape a series of ¨islands¨ where the flora and fauna find refuge. This phenomenon is enhanced by the abundance of wells and reservoirs which can hold lots of water due the soil´s characteristics. The biggest and most impressive of these ¨refuge-islands¨ is the site of Los Barruecos, with its immense granitic boulders.

The origins of Malpartida lie in the XIII Century though it didn´t reach the category of town until the XIX Century. This was due primarily to the flourishing of the wool washing house of Los Barruecos and the opening of the railway that joined Madrid, Cáceres and Portugal, which also introduced a new profession amongst the ¨malpartideños¨; the railroad worker.

Malpartida´s population decreased drastically during the 1950´s and 60´s due to migrations towards the richer areas of Spain. During the last few decades the recovery of the economy and the growth of Cáceres have meant an increase of 1000 inhabitants to Malpartida´s population.

Prado, Zamora

Prado lies in the Northwest of the Province of Zamora in the Middle of the Castilian Plateau. It has a population of 77, 90% of which works in agriculture.

It is a flat, deforested territory dominated by cereal crops. Tierra de Campos (Lands of Fields) strong identity region, meaningful and individualized personality, both in its physiographic features, and in their economic characteristics.

This is a deforested area, predominantly cereal crops, dotted with large villages with high churches and squares, traditional architecture based on the adobe, castles and typical pigeon. Today and for centuries, its economy based on agriculture and husbandry.

Puebla de Sanabria, Zamora

Puebla de Sanabria is located in the Northwest of Zamora, in the region of Sanabria, an area that is undergoing demographic issues. The town sits on the banks of the Tera and Castro rivers.It enjoys a continental mediterranean climate with hot summers and cold winters.The township is located within the Culebra mountains, a regional nature reserve of special value because of its population of wolves, dears, roe dears. It is also the natural habitat of boars, wildcats, badgers, garduñas (stone martens), eagles, falcons and other birds of prey.

Puebla is one of the oldest zamoran towns. Already in the X Century AD an ¨urbe Senabrie¨ figured as the capital of the province. It was the stage of the Independence War with Portugal in the XVII century and the War of Succesion in the XVIII. Its main economic activity has changed from one based on agriculture and farming to one dependent on services, mainly tourism. Cattle breeding still survives through its famous local variety of beef, Alistana-Sanabresa. The region also produces electricity at the Montcabril hydroelectric plant, and the windmills placed in the neighbouring peaks of the Lubián Valley. It is well known for its heather honey, mineral water and its Giants and Bigheads popular celebrations.

La Vera, Sierra de Gredos, Cáceres

The Gredos mountain range belongs to the Central Mountainous System; it is the only regional park alongside of the Picos de Europa in the province of Castilla y León.

Gredos is one of the most extensive ranges of the Central System and is composed of five river basins: the high Tormes, high Alberche, valley of Ambroz, eastern Tiétar and western Tiétar and la Vera.

La Vera is a region situated in the North-East of the Province of Cáceres, in Extremadura. Although the economy of the region is based now on rural and nature tourism, there is still an agricultural and graze production

Avinyó, Barcelona

View from Calera y Chozas, Toledo

The Village of Carrícola, Valencia, withe the castle in the foreground